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Authorities have reported that on Friday, June 17, evening, a man with “sharp-edged” weapon assaulted multiple people in San Francisco Airport, leaving 3 of them with injuries.
NBC reported that the suspect allegedly drove to the airport and entered the departure terminal at 6 PM where he attacked 3 men. The injuries, however, were not life-threatening.
In an interview with local media, airport duty manager Russell Mackey told reporters that the travelers were able to continue with their respective flights since the injuries were not very serious. He said:
“They were treated for minor scrapes and released.”
The suspect, on the other hand, surrendered willingly upon the arrival of authorities. His name and details have not been released publicly, but CNN reported that he is currently in police custody.
What do we know about the San Francisco Airport attack?
According to Russell Mackey, the victims of the assault were waiting in the -re-security area when the suspect allegedly drew a knife and lunged at them.
Mackey said:
“(The suspect) walked around the departure terminal and pulled out an edged weapon.”
While the type of weapon has not yet been confirmed by authorities, a KTVU-TV reporter who was present at the airport for Golden State Warriors’ homecoming allegedly saw authorities collecting a knife as evidence at the scene.
In an official statement, police spokesperson Robert Rueca stated authorities will not release the name of the subject until they begin an active investigation. The man is is yet to be charged.
Reuca urged the public to contact the department if they had any information about the attack. As of now, the motivations of the suspect remain unknown.
A violent year for America
The San Francisco airport attack comes after a spate of violent attacks, including those in Texas, New York and Oklahoma. According to Fox News, crime data collated by police departments in major cities have shown a surge in violent crimes, including robbery, assault and murder.
According to Missionlocal, San Francisco has also seen this rise in violence, with local police reporting a 12% rise in reported crimes in 2022. While robberies have decreased, the rate of homicide, gun violence and aggravated assault has only risen.
The knife attack at San Francisco Airport comes only 4 months after the fatal police shooting of a man at the airport’s International Terminal. According to NBC, a 37-year-old homeless man named Nelson Szeto was shot and killed after assaulting the police.
According to US News, these random attacks in San Francisco may be due to the city’s problems with the homeless population. According to UCSF magazine, a lot of crime is fueled by mentally ill, disenfranchised members of society who no longer have shelter.
Netizens are demanding more robust government shelter and mental health programs in order to curb the violence.
